Page 7

Lingering just a little longer, I decide to head back.

I creak the door of the mausoleum open and I come face to face with my nightmare—Cressida.

"Told you she was here," one of the other girls speaks, her expression smug.

Cressida watches me with malice in her gaze, and I instinctively take a step back.

"She thought she could run away from us," she says snidely, looking me up and down. Most probably she's searching for the bruises from last time.

I shake my head, and I try to put as much distance between us as I can. I walk backwards until I hit the cold metal of the coffin, my hands latching on to it for support.

"Please. Just let me go. It's almost curfew time," I add in a small voice, hoping the threat of Mother Superior's punishment for breaching curfew would deter them.

"Assisi, Assisi, when will you learn?" She comes closer to me, her hand going to my chin to tip my head up, bringing my eyes to hers. "No one cares about you here. Mother Superior would probably give me a prize for showing you your place. After all, trash belongs only in one place," she smirks down at me, her mouth hovering over my ear, "in the trash."

She pushes slightly at my shoulder, but I no longer have anywhere to go, so I try to bypass her.

"Why are you doing this to me? What did I ever do to you?" My lower lip trembles as I imagine all the things they could do to me—already anticipating the pain and the humiliation.

"Why?" She laughs, slapping me once across the face. I quickly turn my head to avoid it, but the tip of her fingers still make contact with my right cheek. Her other palm follows closely, catching my left cheek with resounding force.

I wince in pain, and I lower my head, hoping that my subservience will make her take pity on me.

"Because I can. You're so pathetic, it's just too much fun to watch the fear in your eyes." And just to drive the point across she continues to slap me.

I put my arms up, trying to deflect some of the blows, but they still graze my skin, leaving a stinging sensation behind.

"Leave me alone!" I yell, unable to take it anymore. "Just… leave me alone." I swallow a sob, everything converging to an unbearable level.

"Girls, come see. Assisi talked back."

The other girls start laughing, coming closer and forming a circle around me.

"You want me to leave you alone,Sisi?"she asks, mocking the nickname Lina had given me.

"Leave me alone," I repeat, although the confidence from before is all but gone. With five girls surrounding me, what can I do?

"What do you say? Should we leave her alone?" Cressida asks and the others chuckle.

"We should. It's almost curfew anyway," another answers, and the others seem in agreement.

Squeezing my eyes shut, relief starts to fill me when I realize that they don't have the time to do more to me.

"You're right," Cressida says before suddenly pushing me to the ground.

Falling down, I try to scramble away from them, but one hand motion from Cressida and the rest of the girls are on me, holding me down.

"We can't miss curfew. ButSisican." She smiles insidiously, nodding to her friend to help her.

I watch in horror as they unlatch the lock from the coffin, both pushing at the top until it gives way, an opening forming at the mouth.

Terrified, I can only shake my head as I try to wrestle my arms and legs free of their hold.

No… no!

When the top is halfway off, Cressida scrunches her face in disgust, "huh, that smell…" Her face then slowly morphs into satisfaction. "Perfect for Assisi."

The girls start moving me around, and while I try to kick at them, nothing works.